Transferring mechanism



Jan. 26, 1937.

J, F. DONOVAN ET AL TRANSFERRING MECHANISM Filed May 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors John F. Donovan, Frank J. Malloy,

Their Attorney.

Patented an. 26, I937 2,069,086 'mANsr'EnnmG MECHANISM John F. Donovan,

East Cleveland, and Frank J.

Malloy, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to General Electric New York Company, a corporation of Application May a, 1936, Serial No. 78.61:;

Our invention relates to the manufacture of electric devices such as electric lamps or similar devices which comprise bulbs or other sealed vitreous containers, and more particularly to apparatus for transferring such devices from sealing-in apparatus to exhausting apparatus. Heretofore the larger lamps have been transferred manually and the smaller miniature lamps have been transferred by apparatus which is unsuitable for larger lamps. The miniature lamp transfer is by means engaging theexhaust tube but the larger lamp being of greater weight and bulk as well as having a smaller exhaust tube cannot be transferred in this way at the speeds desired without breaking. Accordingly we provide a transferring mechanism which engages the bulbous portion of the lamps both for lifting the lamp and for positioning it correctly with respect to the exhausting apparatus. 4

According to our invention the lamp is taken from the sealing-in machine by one portion of our mechanism and is inserted into the exhausting machine by another portion thereof. This is of advantage as it is not necessary to delay the indexing of the machine for so long an interval of I time as would be necessary if the transfer were performed by a single mechanism. In other words, the transferring operation is spread over two indexing periods instead of only one as with a single mechanism. We provide means for pcsitioning the lamp correctly during the transferring operation to avoid any possibility of the lamp shifting and entering the exhausting machine improperly. Other features and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the description which follows of one species thereof and from the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the transfer mechanism of our invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a section through the transferring spindle; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the transferring jaws.

The transferring mechanismof our invention is adapted to transfer a lamp from sealing apparatus to exhausting apparatus and is particularly adapted to transfer lamps from the sealing heads to the exhaust heads of a machine of the type shown in Patent 1,662,045, Patterson, which issued March 6, 1928. The lamp'lll which is to be trans-= ferred is shown in dotted lines of Fig. l and rests only on the bulb holder l l of the sealing machine. The sealing spindle l2 on which the stem of the lamp has rested during the sealing operation has been moved downwardly and now rides on a low part of the track I 3 leaving the exhaust tube l4 is carried by said cup 2| and which is preferably tures of the stem free. The sealing head is mounted on the turret l5 which is turned at intervals to index other sealing and exhaust heads into position before our device. The lamp I8 is first engaged by the vacuum transfer spindle I6 shown in Figs. 1 and 3 which comprises the hollow spindle l9 slidably mounted in tube 28 and the cup 2| which engages the collar 22 on the end of said spindle l9. In order that the washer 23 which 10 made of asbestos will seat properly on the lamp ill, the cup 2| is provided with a ball section which permits the cup to tilt. The ball section is held against collar 22 by spring 24 which extends between pins in said cup 2| and said spindle I9. The lamp I8 is held tightly against washer' 23 by the pull of vacuum in the hollow center of spindle I9 which enters through aper- 25 and 28 in said spindle l9 and tube 28 respectively from pipe 21 and collar 28. The 20 pipe 21 is connected through flexible hose 29 and the valve 38 to a source of vacuum (not shown).

The collar 28 is fastened to tube 28 and supports spect to the tube 20 by the ball 30 which is pushed through a hole in said tube 20 and into a depression in spindle H by spring 3|.

' Having engaged the lamp ill, the spindle I6 is first raised to clear the bulb holder and then is swung sideward into the transferring jaws 32. The raising movement occurs as the arm 33 which is attached to tube 20 and shaft 34 are raised by mechanism operated by a cam (not shown) on shaft 35 (located below turret l5). The cam is engaged by the roller 36 on lever 31 which actuates 'rod 38 which in turn is connected through lever 39, rollers 48 and collar 4| to shaft 34. The lever 31 turns about a pin extending from bracket 42 which is mounted through the bracket 43 onto the stationary table 44. Lever 39 turns about a pin 45 extending from bracket 46 which is stationary and which is mounted on the table 44 through the hollow column 4'! and bracket 48.

-ferring jaws 32 movements of said lever 5I. The tube 6 passes vertically through column 41 and is connected through arm 51, link 58, arm 59, sleeve 60 and arm H to rod 49. The sleeve 60 turns in bracket 46 and surrounds shaft 34 which is free to turn and move vertically therein. The sideward movement of the lamp I0 carries it through the open side of the bulb holder II to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The transferring jaws 32 into which the lamp I0 is taken by the transferring spindle I6 comprises, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the lower jaws 62 and 63 which are adapted to engage the neck 64 of the lamp I0 through studs 65 and the upper jaws 66 and 61 which are adapted to engage the bulbous portion 68 of the lamp I0 through pads 69 and 10 respectively. The ends of the studs 65 which engage the lamp are preferably coated with rubber to protect the bulb from injury and the pads 69 and 10 are preferably made of asbestos for. the same 'reas n. The lower jaws 62 and 63 are attached to e upper jaws 66 and 61 respectively which are in turn attached to levers H and 12 respectively. Each of the levers H and 12 is mounted on a pin 13 carried by the slider 14 and is operated by cam 15 through roller 16. Once the lamp I0 is located between the transferring jaws 32 they are closed thereon by spring 11 since the cam 15 is turned so that the high parts thereof are no longer under rollers 16. Since it is essential that the jaws close to the same position each time so that the lamp is centered properly, each pin 13 is provided with a gear segment 18 which meshes with the corresponding gear segment 18 of the other pin. The cam 15 is slidably mounted on the vertical shaft 19 to which it is keyed as shown, and is located between the collars and 8I. The collars 80 and 8I are engaged by the slider 14 which is properly orien tated thereby and are provided with shoulders which cause them and cam 15 to be moved with said slider 14. The shaft 19 is supported by bracket 48 and arm 82 and'forms part of the jaw-actuating means. Said means is operated by a cam (not shown) on shaft 35- and comprises lever 83, link 84 and arm 85. The cam is engaged by the roller 86 on lever 83 which turns a about pin 53 and actuates arm through link 84. The shaft 19 is prevented from moving verticallyby collars 81 and 88 which are mounted thereon above and below arm 82.

After the lamp I0 is gripped by the transthe vacuum connection to the transferring spindle I6 is cut off so that the lamp is released by that mechanism, The cutoff is produced by the valve '30 which is connected in the vacuum line (hose 29) leading to the spindle I6 and which is-actuated by cam 90 on shaft 35. The cam 90 is engaged by the roller 9| on lever 92 which is connected 'to the plug 93 in the body 94 of the valve 30 through link 95. The plug sage 96 therethrough which is aligned with the inlet and outlet passages in the body 94 when the valve is open. When the valve 30 is closed. the connecting passages to the lamp I0 are opened to the atmosphere through the passage 96' inthe plug. 93 which is then aligned with the outlet passage in the valve body 94. The valve body 94 is clamped in a portion of bracket 91 which extends from bracket 43 and which supports a pin (not shown) on which lever 92 is mounted; The spindle I6 remains in this posi- 93 is provided with a pas-' tion until the transferring jaws 32 move the lamp out of the way.

The lamp I0 is now moved down until the exhaust tube I4 thereof is properly inserted in the exhaust head 98 of the sealing and exhaust machine as shown in the dotted lines of Fig. 1.

The downward movement of the transferring jaws 32 is produced by a similar movement of sider 14 onthe column 41 caused by mechanism operated by cam 99 on shaft 35. The mechanism comprises lever I00 which engages the cam 99 through roller WI and the rod I02 through collar I 03. The lever I00 turns about a pin v(not V shown), extending from bracket 43 and engages the collar I03 through pins I04 in each of the legs of the U-shaped end thereof. The collar :3 is not fastened to the rod I02 directly but rests against collar I05 which is attached directly thereto and the spring I06 which rides on the fixed collar I01 on said rod I02. The spring M6 is compressed by the excess movement of the lever I00 after the stop collar I08 strikes the extending portion I09 of bracket 48.

The transferring jaws 32 are opened and raised to their former position .by the reverse movements of partsalready described. The return movement of the spindle I6 however, is caused by the same mechanisms but follows a slightly different path. The outward swing of the spindle I6 also includes a short downward movement which carries the roller IIO extending from the collar II I on spindle I9 against plate II2 causing said spindle I9 to be moved down to another position in tube 20. As shown in Figs. 1

and 3, the roller H0 is mounted on the pin II3 of collar III and the plate H2. is attached to post II4'which is supported by the bracket II5 extending from bracket 46. In the lower position the apertures 25 and 26 in the spindle I9 and tube 20 are no longer aligned which breaks the vacuum connection from the spindle I6 to 151V valve 30. The spindle I9 retains this position until it is moved down onto another lamp I0 in v the sealing head whereupon it strikes the lamp I0 and is pushed up to the position shown. This upward movement allows the vacuum to enter the spindle I9 to draw on the lamp I0 as the up a lamp I0. on the previous cycle of movement, the spindle I9 remains in the lower position and roller IIO does not strike plate II2.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a transferring mechanism for carrying a lamp or similar device from sealing-in to exhaust heads which are indexed in and out of position before said mechanism comprising means for gripping the lamp supported by the sealing-in head, means for moving said first means and said lamp to a second position, means mounted at said second position of said first means and adjacent said exhaust head for gripping said lamp, for positioning it so that the exhaust tube is properly positioned with respect to said exhaust head and for movindexing movements of the heads.

2. A transferring mechanism for carrying a lamp or similar device from sealing-into exhausting apparatus which are indexedin and out of position before said mechanism comprising means for gripping the lamp supported by the sealing-in apparatus, means for moving said first means and said lamp to a second. position, a' pair of jaws mounted at said second position of said first means and adjacent the exhausting apparatus for gripping said lam a second pair of Jaws mounted adjacent said first pair oi Jaws for engaging and positioning said lamp so that the exhausttubeex tending therefrom is'properly positioned with respect to said exhausting apparatus, means for moving said pairs of jaws to insert said exhaust tube therein and means for actuating all portions of the mechanism in proper time relation to each other and to the indexing movements of the scab;

ing-in and exhausting a'pparatus.

3. A transferring mechanism for. carrying a lamp or similar device from sealing-in to exhausting apparatus whichare indexed inand out of position before said mechanism comprising a vacuum head adapted to engage the lamp supported byithe sealing-in apparatus, meansfor moving said head to a second position, means for connecting and disconnecting a vacuum supply to said head so that the lamp is gripped thereby and after being carried to saidsecond position is released, means mounted adjacent said head and said exhausting apparatus for removing the lamp therefrom, for positioning said lamp so that the exhaust tube extending therefrom is properly positioned with respect to said exhausting apparatus and for moving said lamp to insert said exhaust tube therein, and means for actuating all portions of the mechanism in proper time-relation to each other and to the indexing movements of the sealing-in and exhausting apparatus.

4. A transferring mechanism for carrying a lamp or' similar device from sealing-in to exhausting apparatus which are indexed in and out of position beforesaid mechanism comprising a vacuum head adapted to engage the lamp supported by the sealing-in head a spindle extending from said head having an aperture in the side thereof and a passage connecting said aperture to x p ly and the side or said spindle said head, supporting means engaging said spindle having a passage therein connecting a vacuum tively thereof are aligned and the lamp is gripped by the head, means for moving said head to a' second position, means connected to the head for disconnecting the vacuum supply therefrom to release the lamp thereat,'means mounted adjacent said head and said exhausting apparatus for removing the lamp therefrom', for positioning said lamp'so that the exhaust tube extending therefrom is properly positioned with respect to said exhausting apparatus and for moving'said lamp to insert said exhaust tube therein, and means for actuating all portions of the mechanism in proper time relation to each other and to the indexingmovements of the sealing-in and exhausting ap- .paratus'.

5. A transferring mechanism for carrying a lamp or similar device from sealing-in to exhausting apparatus which areindexed in and out of position before said mechanism comprising a vacuum head adapted to engage the lamp supported bythe sealing-in apparatus, a spindle extending from said head having an aperture in the side thereof and a passage connecting said aperture to said head, supporting means engaging said spindle having a passage therein connecting'a vacuum supply and the side of saidspindle, means connected'to said supporting means for pressing the head against the lamp and for causing the spindle to shift to another position in the supporting means so that the aperture and passage respectively thereof are aligned and the lamp is gripped by the head, means for moving said head to a second position, means connected to the head jaws to insert said exhaust tube therein and means for actuating all portions of the mechanism in proper time relation to each other and to the indexing movements of the sealing-in and ex-.

hausting apparatus.

JOHN F. DONOVAN. FRANK J. MALLOY. 

